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Monday, September 30, 2013

PAUL PREACHING

Following his
experience at the Truchsessian Gallery when the light which he
had enjoyed in his youth returned to him, Blake began to express
the new-found appreciation that the depiction of
light might play in his painting. Blake felt that he was
returning to a style in which he had originally painted and
which reflected the "true light that enlightens every man." Blake's St Paul
Preaching at Athens, one of the Biblical watercolors for
Thomas Butts executed in 1803, is an example of the simplicity,
directness and transparent symbolism which characterize his
re-enlightened approach. Notice the light that
surrounds St Paul, the presence of multiple generation is his
audience, and the reactions displayed by various characters. In Blake's picture St Paul looks out at the audience whom he wishes to address not at those gathered around him. The
unadorned simplicity of the picture is congruent with the same
quality in Luke's account in Acts.Acts 17
[14] Then the brethren immediately sent Paul off on his way
to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.
[15] Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as
Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to
come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
[16] Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his
spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of
idols.
[17] So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the
devout persons, and in the market place every day with those who
chanced to be there.
[18] Some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers met
him. And some said, "What would this babbler say?" Others said,
"He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities" -- because he
preached Jesus and the resurrection.
[19] And they took hold of him and brought him to the
Are-op'agus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is
which you present?
[20] For you bring some strange things to our ears; we wish
to know therefore what these things mean."
[21] Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived
there spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing
something new.
[22] So Paul, standing in the middle of the Are-op'agus,
said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very
religious.
[23] For as I passed along, and observed the objects of
your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, `To an
unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I
proclaim to you.
[24] The God who made the world and everything in it, being
Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man,
[25] nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed
anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and
everything.
[26] And he made from one every nation of men to live on
all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and
the boundaries of their habitation,
[27] that they should seek God, in the hope that they
might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each
one of us,
[28] for `In him we live and move and have our being';
as even some of your poets have said, `For we are indeed his
offspring.'
[29] Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that
the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by
the art and imagination of man.
[30] The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he
commands all men everywhere to repent,
[31] because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the
world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this
he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead."
[32] Now when they heard of the resurrection of the
dead, some mocked; but others said, "We will hear you again
about this."
[33] So Paul went out from among them.
[34] But some men joined him and believed, among them
Dionys'ius the Are-op'agite and a woman named Dam'aris and others
with them.

Letters, To Thomas Butts, (E 723)
"Patience! if Great things do not turn out it is because
such things depend [xxxx] on the Spiritual & not on the
Natural World & if it was fit for me I doubt not that I should be
Employd in Greater things & when it is proper my Talents shall be
properly exercised in Public. as I hope they are now in private.
for till then. I leave no stone unturnd & no path unexplord that
tends to improvement in my beloved Arts. One thing of real
consequence I have accomplishd by coming into the country. which
is to me consolation enough, namely. I have recollected all my
scatterd thoughts on Art & resumed my primitive & original ways
of Execution in both painting & Engraving. which in the confusion
of London I had very much lost & obliterated from my mind. But
whatever becomes of my labours I would rather that they should be
preservd in your Green House (not as you mistakenly call it dung
hill). than in the cold
gallery of fashion.--The Sun may yet shine & then they will be
brought into open air."

Blake was familiar with this picture by Raphael of St Paul Preaching in Athens. His admiration for Raphael notwithstanding, he followed his own leading whatever the consequence.